Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. drew an analogy to the signers of the Declaration of Independence on Sunday in exhorting Iraqi leaders to end the paralysis that has stalled the formation of a government since the parliamentary elections four months ago.

“When they signed that declaration, many of them did not even like one another,” Mr. Biden, making his fourth trip to Baghdad as vice president, told a group of Iraqi leaders at a Fourth of July reception at the residence of the United States ambassador, Christopher R. Hill. “My plea to you is to continue what you started,” he said.

Mr. Biden’s visit came amid grumbling by some Iraqi officials that American policy in Iraq has lately lacked focus, as the United States withdraws large numbers of troops at a time of political dysfunction and daily violence. There is no sign that the deadlocked coalitions that won seats in the March elections are any closer to forming a government....